When you add on the City link, you can see there’s some logic there.” Could Man City look to current Premier League boss to replace Pep Guardiola in Man City dugout?

Pep Guardiola stood on the touchline as Manchester City cruised past West Ham with a calm 3-0 win, but behind the smiles, the hugs, and the familiar dominance, questions continued to grow louder. City were still chasing Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table, just two points behind after 17 games, still very much in the title race, still one of the most feared teams in Europe. Yet for the first time in years, the focus around the club was not only about tactics, trophies, or titles. It was about time. It was about the end. It was about what happens when Pep Guardiola finally decides that his journey at Manchester City has reached its final chapter.

This season is Guardiola’s tenth at the Etihad Stadium. Ten years of control, brilliance, frustration, reinvention, and dominance. Ten years of shaping English football in his image. Ten years of turning Manchester City into a machine that wins, adapts, and survives every storm. But no reign lasts forever, and quietly, carefully, the conversation has started to change.

Rumours have begun to circulate that Guardiola could leave Manchester City at the end of the season. Nothing has been confirmed. Nothing has been officially denied. But when whispers grow this loud, they usually come from somewhere close to the truth. Guardiola himself has often spoken about exhaustion, about the mental energy required to stay at the top, about the danger of staying too long and becoming stale. Those words, once philosophical, now feel personal.

Inside the club, it is believed Guardiola will have a strong voice in choosing his successor. That alone shows how much power and respect he holds. Manchester City are not planning a sudden break. They are planning a controlled transition, something smooth, something familiar, something that protects the identity Guardiola spent a decade building.

On 18 December, respected journalist David Ornstein reported that there is growing anticipation within football circles that this could be Guardiola’s final season at Manchester City. That single report sent shockwaves through the Premier League. Even more striking was the name linked as a potential replacement. Enzo Maresca.

Maresca is not a random choice. He is not a fashionable name thrown into the mix without reason. He is deeply connected to Manchester City. He worked under Guardiola at the Etihad. He understands the system. He speaks the football language Guardiola created. And most importantly, he has proven himself as a head coach in his own right.

After leaving City’s backroom staff, Maresca took on major challenges. He impressed at Leicester City, guiding them with authority, intelligence, and clarity. That work earned him the Chelsea job in the summer of 2024, one of the most difficult roles in English football. At Stamford Bridge, Maresca faced pressure, expectation, and chaos, yet his tactical ideas and calm personality stood out.

Still, Chelsea is not an easy place. Support is never guaranteed. Patience is thin. And recently, Maresca publicly suggested he was not being fully backed by the club. That comment did not go unnoticed. In football, words like that often signal tension, frustration, or uncertainty about the future.

Former Manchester City financial adviser Stefan Borson believes the Maresca links make sense. Speaking exclusively, he explained that when you look at Maresca’s body of work, it is impressive. When you add his Manchester City connection, the logic becomes even clearer. This is not a gamble. This is a continuation.

Borson also pointed out that Maresca would not be the only manager with City links who could be considered. Guardiola’s coaching tree is large. Many of his former players and assistants are now managers across Europe. City could easily turn inward and choose someone who already understands their way of working.

But Borson also hinted at something more intriguing. The possibility of an outside candidate. Someone not currently in the headlines. Someone quietly admired behind closed doors. Manchester City are known for secrecy. They do not leak plans easily. If an unexpected name appears, it would not be a surprise to those inside the club.

Despite the logic behind Maresca’s name, Borson made it clear that this would not be a simple deal. Maresca is under contract at Chelsea until 2029. Chelsea are not a club that lets managers walk away easily, especially not to a rival powerhouse. Any move would involve negotiations, compensation, and political tension.

And Maresca is not alone on City’s shortlist. Vincent Kompany is also believed to be high on the list. Kompany is a club legend. He spent 11 years at Manchester City as a player. He captained the team through historic moments. He understands the club’s culture at its deepest level. Now, as Bayern Munich manager, he has taken a massive step in his coaching career.

Kompany represents continuity and emotion. Maresca represents continuity and tactics. Both reflect Guardiola’s influence in different ways. But neither option is easy. Bayern Munich will not want to lose Kompany. Chelsea will not want to lose Maresca. And Guardiola has not yet confirmed he is leaving.

This is what makes the situation so delicate. Manchester City must plan without acting. They must prepare without destabilising. They must show loyalty to Guardiola while protecting their future. Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and CEO Ferran Soriano are experienced operators. They understand timing. They understand power. They understand when to move and when to wait.

For Guardiola, this moment is deey personal. Manchester City is not just another club for him. It is the place where he rebuilt himself after Barcelona and Bayern. It is where he proved he could win in England. It is where he finally conquered Europe again. Leaving will not be easy.

Yet staying forever is not an option. Guardiola knows this. Football knows this. And so, the quiet process begins. Conversations behind closed doors. Names written on whiteboards. Phone calls made discreetly. Futures discussed in hushed tones.

On the pitch, City remain ruthless. On the surface, nothing has changed. But beneath the calm, the club is standing at a crossroads. The next appointment will define the next decade. Get it right, and City continue dominating. Get it wrong, and the Guardiola era becomes impossible to replace.

That is the weight Khaldoon Al Mubarak carries. That is the pressure behind every rumour. That is why every report matters.

For now, Pep Guardiola remains in charge. He remains focused. He remains competitive. But the clock is ticking. And Manchester City, for the first time in a long time, are preparing for a future without the man who made them unstoppable.